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Concentrations and analysis of health risks of ambient air metallic elements at Longjing site in central Taiwan

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Abstract

The concentrations of particulates and metallic elements that were bound to total suspended particulates in ambient air at Long Cyuan Elementary School (LCYES), Lung Ching Elementary School (LCHES) and Long Shan Primary School (LSPS) sampling sites in the Longjing area were measured. Significant difference tests were conducted at LSPS, LCYES and LCHES sites. Finally, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk values for LSPS, LCYES and LCHES sites in the Longjing district were evaluated. The results show that the most average particulate and metallic element concentrations were highest in October, November, January, February, March, April, August, and September The average particulate and metallic element concentrations at LCHES were higher than at the other sampling sites. The Concentration Scatter Diagrams reveal the absence of significant variation among the LSPS, LCYES and LCHES sampling sites in the Longjing district. Therefore, these sampling sites are inferred to have similar emission sources. The children and adults inhalation carcinogenic risks which referenced US EPA method were all within acceptable ranges. Non-carcinogenic risks revealed that all metallic elements considered herein were harmless to human health.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the National Science Council of the ROC (Taiwan) for financially supporting this work under Project No. 103-2221-E-241 -004 -MY3.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, Hung Kuang University, Sha-Lu, Taichung, 433, Taiwan, ROC

    Guor-Cheng Fang, Meng-Hsien Cho, Yuan-Jie Zhuang, Kai-Hsiang Tsai, Chao-Yang Huang & You-Fu Xiao

  2. National Environmental Health Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan Town, Miaoli, 35053, Taiwan, ROC

    Yu-Cheng Chen

  3. Department of Biotechnology, National Formosa University, Yunlin, 63208, Taiwan, ROC

    Chaur-Tsuen Lo

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  1. Guor-Cheng Fang
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  2. Yu-Cheng Chen
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Correspondence to Guor-Cheng Fang.

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Fang, GC., Chen, YC., Lo, CT. et al. Concentrations and analysis of health risks of ambient air metallic elements at Longjing site in central Taiwan. Environ Geochem Health 40, 461–472 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-017-9933-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-017-9933-6

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